The Sad and Scary Dark Side of the Massage Industry

You may have heard the news over the weekend about what has happened at several Massage Envys. I’ve been on the fence about responding about it. I really couldn’t decide if I should. This is one of those posts where I have to, unfortunately, get real and talk about the elephant in the massage industry.

If you don’t know what happened, it’s worth reading this article here: Alleged Sexual Assault at Some Massage Envys. And it seems that Massage Envy has failed to train some of its owners, managers, and therapists properly when it comes to reporting and handling sexual assault.

Now, because of their alleged negligence there are excellent male solo therapists who are suffering because of the acts of a small percentage of people.

So, how do you know as a potential client where to go to for massage? I’m going to give you some clues on what to look for and what to stay away from.

Draping Optional

Huh? What does that mean? When you see this as part of a website or ad for massage, this is an indicator of someone who is okay with you being completely naked without a sheet or towel of any kind. This is someone who is more than likely giving the client an option of “something extra”. In my practice, there is NO option. Your genitals will be covered at all times.

Backpage

Did you happen to find a massage therapist you were hoping to book with advertising on Backpage? This could be a red flag. While some new massage therapists might naively run an ad there because it’s free and they don’t know how to market themselves, I would still be suspect. Backpage can often be a front for human trafficking and prostitution.

24 Hour Openings

Maybe you found a new therapist who seems kind of promising but he or she claims to take appointments up until midnight or later? I find this weird, and you should, too. I get it – there are shift workers who might be up at that time. But those people also have days off where they can book appointments within a normal time frame for businesses to be open.

Again, I hate that this has happened within an industry where 99% of the people only want to help people cope with chronic pain. Be educated, stay safe, and don’t forgo your massage therapy because of a few bad apples.

Thank you for reading, and I’ll be back to more light hearted posts next week!